The Chopping Block: NBC Cancels Reality TV Show After Three Episodes

by Trevor Kimball, March 27, 2009

To no surprise, NBC has cancelled its latest foray into reality television. The show that has been on the “chopping block” since it premiered has come to an end. The network series has cancelled The Chopping Block.

Based on an Australian reality series of the same name, The Chopping Block stars celebrated chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White (from the UK’s Hell’s Kitchen). The British Michelin star chef splits eight newbie cooks and restaurateurs up into two teams of four couples each. Each side is given an empty restaurant space in the middle of Manhattan. Working together, they must plan, open, and operate a restaurant in the most competitive city in the world.

In some ways, the series is similar to FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen show — except that it didn’t attract nearly as many viewers. The March 11th premiere attracted an embarrassing number of viewers, just 3.77 million with a 1.4/4 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. The following week, it dropped to 3.46 million and a 1.3/4. This week, Chopping Block fell much further, to just 2.58 million viewers and a 0.9/2 rating/share.

Chopping Block has been cancelled effective immediately. For the time being, NBC will fill the timeslot with repeats of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, installments that first aired on the network last year. Newer episodes of the drama are still scheduled to debut on April 29th.

The remaining five episodes of Chopping Block may air at some point in the future but it doesn’t look very likely.

UPDATE: Beginning April 1st, NBC started releasing a new episode online each Wednesday. While this is good news for those with high-speed Internet connections, this ensures that the network won’t be airing the episodes on broadcast television. To watch, go to hulu.com.

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I agree with the other posters. NBC finish running the show…it could have been better,
but don’t start a show when viewers invest time to TRY to follow it. You should of thought
about your programming and show development before. I don’t think i’ll give NBC another chance. Here’s a CLUE!!! STICK WITH A SHOW THRU THE SEASON>>>
It was better than Re-runs….I knew of several families that were following the show.
I think your ratings info is skewed, and you have NO Idea about programing!

I enjoyed watching this show, How wrong is this, to cancell, when apparently, there were a lot of viewers who were watching, I agree, it isn’t fair for NBC to cancell, and then put “a rerun” on in its place. It may be different, if the decided to not do another go around, But at least be fair to the people who were watching, to at least see the outcome. Tis does not give me the motivation, to try new shows with NBC, for fear they will pull the plug, Just when you are geared up to see the ending!… Read more »

If anyone from NBC reads this then……. pluuuueeease don’t start a show and then take it off to show re-runs, especially as the Chopping Block ( good or average ) deserves to run it’s course.
The people who decided to air this show in the first place need to step up to the plate
or find a new line of work.

Why support a TV network that leaves it’s viewers hanging out on a limb? That is very rude, and to show some bs reruns of some boring show, that just adds salt to the wounds! 🙁
It’s their own fault if they didn’t have viewers, they only showed previews for a short while before the show came on the air.

Yes, I highly agree with previous posters…………….
As I am not suprised a bit they gave Chopping Block the “CHOP”, at least give the followers of the full 3 eps (as I was ) the decency of at LEAST A WEBSITE to view the final outcome…………………………….(throws up arms and rolls eyes up)………….

NBC does it again..No backing for the choice they made. No stick it out and promote it a bit..Where were the efforts to find food sponsers that would have seen the value of sticking with it..
I am at the top end of your demographic desired range..should I just be buried with my T.V. at 50..
Law and order is “old news”..At least put it on the net..Full shows on the net!!!

I’m quite disappointed that this show has been cancelled. It isn’t right that the people who were following the show do not get to see the results. I live in Philadelphia and a few of our hometown people are on the show and could be the winners. Would like to know what happens. Please let us know, as it is not right to remove show before the session is over.

I watched because ilike shows like Top Chef and reality shows in general. The fact is, this one was absolutely awful. Good riddance. I was looking forward to a TV show with Marco Pierre White (though not as much as a dinner with him), but this was unwatchable. Of course, since I hate the whole Lawn Order/CS aye yi yi franchise garbage, I won’t be watching NBC any more than I would have, had they continued with The Choking Block.